Sarah Brown (in black dress) with former EastEnders actor Michael Cashman (second from right) and his partner Paul Cottingham (extreme left) at the Pride of London March

London, July 4: A vision of where India is likely to be on homosexual law reform in 30 or 40 years was provided by what happened in London today when Gordon Brown gave a send off to a half a million strong gay pride march with a party at 10, Downing Street.

Then his wife, Sarah, led the flamboyant march consisting of colourfully dressed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups from Baker Street to the busy shops areas of Oxford and Regent streets.

The theme for the Pride of London March was “Come Out and Play”.

Sarah stuck to a sober black dress brightened up with colourful necklaces but drag queens came out in huge blonde wigs and Union flag outfits. The traditional Union flag was replaced by a pink, red and white version. However, it may be some time before pink replaces saffron in the Indian Tricolour.

Between 1967, when sodomy in private between consenting adults was decriminalised, and the 2005 introduction of civil partnerships, life has become much better for the homosexual population of Britain — and in much of the west.

This is why there was a near rapturous welcome by gay lobbies in the west to Delhi High Court’s overturning of a statute in Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which bans “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” because they are an “antithesis of the right to equality”.

The Prime Minister today described the creation of civil partnerships as one of a set of “massive strides towards equality” for the gay community made under the Labour government which was made “often in the face of fierce opposition”.

He realises there is political mileage in the run-up to a general election in depicting the Labour Party as more forward thinking than the Tories: “This government is committed to standing at your shoulders in the fight for equality and we are guided by one very simple principle when it comes to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) rights: you can’t legislate love.”

A number of senior ministers are either openly gay or, at least, do not disguise their sexuality. Among them is the business secretary Lord Mandelson, who yesterday presented the Fenner Brockway medal to Tony Blair for services to India.

However, homosexual groups are pushing the government to make further concessions.

One of the most aggressive campaigners for further reform is the activist Peter Tatchell who described civil partnerships as “a form of sexual apartheid”.

Today Tatchell met Sarah carrying a sign reading: “Gordon and Sarah can marry, gays can’t. End the ban on gay marriage.”

Homosexual law reform has become a party political issue with Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw alleging at a public debate that there remained a “deep strain of homophobia” running through the Conservative Party.

Foreign office minister Chris Bryant, who like Bradshaw is also gay, was reported to have told the same meeting on Thursday night: “If gays vote Tory they will rue the day very soon.”

There was an angry response from a Tory gay, Alan Duncan, the Shadow leader of the Commons, who said: “This is the most poisonous mudslinging. For Chris Bryant and Ben Bradshaw to dig up old battles from the last century introduces unwanted division just when we had unity across the country. I think they will be roundly condemned for it. This is clearly a co-ordinated exercise by Labour. It is deeply unworthy and unjustified.”

The Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg joined in – he is not gay. In fact, Clegg has said he has slept with 30 women.

“I am determined that the Liberal Democrats will remain outspoken and steadfast in our defence of gay rights, from backing same sex marriage to stopping the deportation of gay asylum seekers to countries where homosexuality is punishable by death,” he said.

He added: “There has been much progress in recent years, and much to celebrate. But as long as homophobia still rears its ugly head in workplaces, in classrooms, and even in the home, politicians must continue to speak out in favour of the values of gay rights. For me, it is quite simply one of the touchstones of what a liberal society should be: open, tolerant and free of prejudice.”

In the Indian community in Britain, gays and lesbians once had to hide their sexuality. They no long feel compelled to do so but attitudes in the community still remain much more conservative than in the rest of society.

In public spaces, such as trains, some British homosexual men are attempting to test the boundaries of what is considered acceptable behaviour by kissing and cuddling in crowded carriages. The British, being British, cover themselves with their newspapers and pretend not to be embarrassed.